The Latest (Archives)
FELA 10/19/09
Moving up from Off Broadway to the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, FELA examines
the life and music of Nigerian Afrobeat composer Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.
Outfitted with Audio/Video systems from Sound Associates, the hi-tech
video package includes six UVA D3 Firefly media servers, and an array
of fourteen projectors by Panasonic, Sanyo, Digital Projections, and Barco.
Sony BRC-300 robotic cameras roll out the powerhouse video rig designed
by Peter Nigrini. The audio system designed by Rob Kaplowitz shows off a
QLab sound effects playback system and Yamaha PM-1D FOH rig with multiple
Yamaha DME-64N processors. Speaker systems by Meyer, EAW and d&b.
RAGTIME 10/19/09
Coalhouse Walker is coming back to town this season in a magnificent
revival at the Neil Simon Theatre. Direct from its smash success at the
Kennedy Center last winter, Acme Sound Partners' Mark Menard has specified
a Digico D5T and Yamaha DM-2000 FOH consoles. XTA processing drives Meyer
CQ-1, L'Acoustics ARCS and Dv-Dosc loudspeakers. Menard and partners Tom
Clark and Nevin Steinberg also specified Sennheiser 5212 UHF wireless
microphones for the 36 cast members, and a compliment of DPA, Neumann and
AKG microphones in the Pit.
A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC 10/19/09
Sondheim has returned to the Great White Way via the West End. Trevor
Nunn's production of A Little Night Music has arrived at the Walter Kerr
Theatre with rave reviews from London. Sound Designer Dan Moses Schreier
specified a Studer Vista 5 for his FOH mixer with Meyer Melodies and
UPA1P's for his mains. A1 Francis Ellers gets his exercise making the
trip to the rear mezzanine to mix the show in the 950 seat Walter Kerr.
RACE 10/19/09
Sound Designer Peter Fitzgerald has his work cut out for him with David
Mamet's new play Race. Mamet is all about words, most of them four letter
ones, with actors often delivering them facing up stage or off stage.
No microphones are a mantra the playwright expounds with each of his
productions and audiences are becoming more indignant in their demand
for voice reinforcement. With no sound operator on the show automation
is the key, along with discretely placed speakers and microphones, to
keep author and audiences happy.
BOYS IN THE PHOTOGRAPH 10/19/09
Toronto adds two 'Boys' to join the long running hit THE SOUND OF MUSIC
(still packing them in at the Princess of Wales Theatre). JERSEY BOYS National
Company, with a Sound Associates video package, is headed for the Toronto Center
this month, and Andrew Lloyd Webber's BOYS IN THE PHOTOGRAPH will open at the Royal
Alex in October featuring a Yamaha PM1D and L'Acoustics Dv-dosc rig. Sound Associates
is also providing the video package featuring five Datatron Watchout media servers,
a Barco CLM-R10+ and three Panasonic PT5700DLP projectors.
BRIGHTON BEACH MEMOIRS/BROADWAY BOUND 9/25/09
Neil Simon is back in town with two of the Eugene trilogy plays in repertory
at the Nederlander Theatre. Sound Designers Fitz Patton and Josh Schmidt
have put together a sound system to deal with the rigor of rep! Through a
Digico D1 console, QLab V2 playback and DPA stage microphones merge into
Meyer L/C/R Line Arrays, subs and EAW surround speakers. A1 Jim Van Bergen
and Associate Sound Designer David Stollings round out the audio roster.
LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE 9/25/09
Ma, Pa and Laura are alive and well at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Milburn, NJ.
Sound Designers Carl Casella and Domonic Sack prepared the system for its fifty
two week national tour using a new Digico SD8 console coupled to custom SAI stage
towers with Meyer Melodie Line Arrays and 700P Subs, driven with Galileo 616
processing. A1 Mark Clark manages thirty eight Sennheiser 5212 wireless microphone
transmitters and DPA 4061 microphones blending the large cast with the fourteen
piece pit orchestra.
HAMLET 9/25/09
"To be, or not to be, that is the question." Jude Law is starring in the
Donmar Warehouse production of HAMLET at the Broadhurst Theatre this fall.
Directed by Michael Grandaga, this "world class" production returns to the
Great White Way for the first time in 13 years. Composer and Sound Designer
Adam Cork and Associate Sound Designer Chris Cronin team up once again using
a Yamaha DM-1000 console, DME-24 processing, a sixteen channel Stage Research
SFX playback system coupled with Meyer, EAW, and d&b loudspeakers to bring
Adam's dark, brooding music to life. "The Play's the Thing!" as Sound Associates
continues its association with The Donmar Warehouse in London, and Tony nominated
Sound Designer Adam Cork.
SUPERIOR DONUTS 9/25/09
AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY's author Tracy Letts is back in action this season
at the Music Box Theatre. Sound Designers Rob Milburn and Michael Bodeen
have specified a Yamaha M7CL console with QLab V2 playback and a Meyer
Sound speaker system to help bring the world of a down, but not nearly
out Chicago donut shop, back to life. A1 Valerie Spradling supervised the
build at Sound Associates and the theatre installation.
BLITHE SPIRIT 3/17/09
The British are coming or returning to the Shubert Theatre (formerly the
home of Spamalot) for this Noel Coward revival. This trip into the transcendental
world of the eccentric bike-riding psychic Mme. Arcati, played by the indomitable
Angela Lansbury, is directed by Michael Blakemore. Renewing his collaboration
with the director, sound designer Peter Fitzgerald has pulled out all the stops
to make this play sound natural in the 1500+ seat theatre. Assistant Sound
Designer Megan Henniger brought the ethereal effects and the recorded piano
interludes on board using SFX and a Yamaha DM2000.
JOE TURNER'S COME AND GONE 3/17/09
August Wilson's historical play about the African-American experience in the
early twentieth century is having a revival by the Lincoln Center Theatre
Company at the Belasco Theatre. Barlett Sher is directing Chad Coleman as
Herald Loomis. Sound Designer Leon Rothenberg has specified a Yamaha DM1000
and QLab sound control software for the Meyer speaker rig. A1 Wayne Smith
has everything under control.
GUYS AND DOLLS 1/26/09
Headed for the newly renovated New Nederlander Theatre this revival has a
tough act to follow on West 41st Street. The hit musical RENT played the
theatre for 12 years so renovations were definitely in order. Sound Designer
Steve Kennedy and Associate Sound Designer Andrew Keister agreed to try the
new Midas XL8 Digital Console for the main mixer. Coupled with Steve's dual
driver approach to vocal reinforcement the digital mixer will provide tremendous
flexibility in addition to superb audio quality. Good luck to A1 Julie Randolf
and her crew with the first musical of 2009!
HAIR 1/26/09
Jupiter aligns with Mars; the age of Love, Light and Humanity. The much
ballyhooed return of the late 60's signature musical is coming even if the
"Age of Aquarius" is not. "Good Morning Starshine" lives on in the Acme Sound
Partners re-creation of their sound design from this summer's production at the
Delacort in Central Park. For the move to the Al Hirshfeld Theatre a Digico D5T
has been specified for FOH and a D1 for the stage mix. A1 Scott Sanders will
not be removing any clothing for this production.
JERSEY BOYS VIDEO 1/26/09
A new Video Wall has been built at Sound Associates' Yonkers production
facility under the supervision of video engineers Chris Lighthall and Sayyid
Baksh. The wall consists of one hundred eight, 10mm, LED panels and is to be
installed for the NYJB Company in the August Wilson Theatre January 26th
replacing the projectors and screens in the original Mark Green design.
WILL FERRELL 1/26/09
Saturday Night Live's presidential comedian is Broadway bound. Scheduled
for a limited run at the Cort Theatre, his one man show "You're Welcome
America. A Final Night with George W. Bush" is scheduled to open February 5, 2009.
Sound Designer Peter Fitzgerald and Assistant Sound Designer Megan Henniger
escort Will into the theatre with the sounds of a life-like helicopter.
A1 Jens McVoy prepared many sub-woofers on that shop order. SA's Production
Manager Chris Cronin teamed up with Lisa Cuscuna and Chris Herman to produce
a very entertaining video program.
STORY OF MY LIFE 1/26/09
Peter Fitzgerald and Carl Casella have collaborated again ("Ring of Fire")
to design the sound for this new little musical directed by Richard Maltby, Jr.
and headed for the Booth Theatre. With a tryout at Goodspeed last summer,
reproducing Jonathan Tunick's orchestrations from the on-stage band should
present only a few new challenges for A1 Brad Gyorgak. A Yamaha DM2000 was
chosen for the FOH with Meyer M1D's and CQ1's providing the main sources
in the system.
